The present invention relates to a recreational device adapted to be ridden by a person sitting or standing thereon while causing the device to bounce across the ground. Examples of such devices include those disclosed by Van der Cleyen et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,229, Brown U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,314, Bennett et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,534, and Johns U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,247. Both the Bennett and Johns patents disclose devices that may be ridden by a person seated thereon, while the Van der Cleyen and Brown patents disclose devices that are ridable by a person in a standing position.
A principal characteristic of known prior art devices that may be ridden by a seated person is that there are no means provided for supporting the rider's feet and therefore, to operate the device, the rider must exert a jumping or bouncing motion with his feet repeatedly being brought into contact with the ground. Consequently, the sensation provided by such devices is more of an assisted jump than a bouncing ride. On the other hand, those known prior art devices that may be ridden by a person in a standing position, while providing a more bouncing-type ride, are either unstable when at rest or require the rider to grasp a pole or other handle means in order to remain in position atop the device.